OSLO - Norwegian authorities on Friday presented details of an alleged plot to decapitate the Israeli ambassador to Oslo and blow up the Israeli and American embassies in the city.

The four suspects, three of them of Muslim background, are also charged with firing at the city's synagogue last week, causing damage but no injuries.

The evidence against the suspects was revealed in the course of extending the suspects' remand, and is based on recordings of their conversations obtained by bugging devices placed in the lead suspect's car.

Jewish community representatives say they are shocked by the alleged plot.

"They discussed in detail how to harm the Israeli and American ambassadors," prosecutor Uni Price said Thursday.

At the head of the group of suspects is allegedly a 29-year-old Pakistani-Norwegian with an extensive record of violence.

According to Price, the suspect consistently expressed "radical Islamic views."

Two other suspects are also in custody, one of Pakistani and the other of Turkish background, both 28.

The youngest suspect, who is 26, is not an immigrant. Norwegian media report he is the son of a royal residence employee.

Media reports also indicate that until May, the suspect lived in the residence area, and had been arrested several times on extortion charges.

"The shooting incident at the synagogue was grave enough," Israel's Ambassador to Norway Miriam Shomrat told a Norwegian newspaper, "but if there was indeed an assassination plot, this turns into an even more serious matter."

Shomrat was expected to attend Rosh Hashanah services on Friday evening at the Oslo synagogue.

The head of the city's Jewish community of 7,000, Anne Sender, told Haaretz that its members never considered changing their holiday plans, even after the plot was exposed.

"The police are taking these threats seriously, and have placed security around Jewish institutions," she said.

Others said news of the alleged attacks had shaken the community to its core.

"The feeling within the Jewish community is of complete shock," according to Mona Levy, a Jewish journalist from Oslo.

"To a large extent, the foiled plot isn't a new stage of attacks against the Jewish community of Norway," she said.

Several anti-Semitic incidents occurred in recent weeks in Oslo. In addition to the synagogue shooting, a person wearing a kippah was attacked and a Jewish cemetery desecrated.

Levin said the anti-Israel atmosphere following the Lebanon war enabled the attackers to legitimize their actions.

She believes a letter sent by Norwegian author Jostein Gaarder, in which he prophesies a flood of biblical proportions engulfing Israel, contributed to that legitimization.

Norway incited rage across the Islamic world in September of last year after printing a caricature of Mohammed published in a Danish newspaper.

About 70,000 Muslims live in the country, less than 2 percent of the population.Source

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So what do our Swedish and Norweigian (if there are any, I can't remember) OTFers think about this? I seem to recall a bunch of our Swedish posters saying that this kind of thing can't happen up there, they're not a target. Hmm? Seems that three of them were of the very group that it has been claimed so many times to not be interested in Scandinavia. Oops. Looks like you're a target too.

What is it going to take to convince everybody? It doesn't matter who you are, where you live, what you believe or how much you appease them, they have one thing in mind Convert or Die.

More than "news reports" of thwarted "plots" involving alleged "terrorists" whose religious affiliation is always mentioned (but not what would be more relevant information -- specific socio- and/or geo-political affiliation -- and nothing about their sexual orientation -- just religious affiliation), with comments from Israeli or American officials.

We can certainly count on "terrorist" activity (read: bogus reports and false-flag ops) to increase as more and more doubt/suspicion/scorn is cast upon the American, British, and Israeli governments. Those who govern no recognizable nation-state are not the fascists to be watching out for.

At least this report won't result in a ban on headphones in an airplane carry-on or anything like that. *knock on wood*

More than "news reports" of thwarted "plots" involving alleged "terrorists" whose religious affiliation is always mentioned (but not what would be more relevant information -- specific socio- and/or geo-political affiliation -- and nothing about their sexual orientation -- just religious affiliation), with comments from Israeli or American officials.

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So people have to die before you believe they're serious?!?

That's what you're saying, and it's sick.

~edit~ I seem to remember someone saying there would be increased attacks against Jews in Europe. Who was that? It wasn't long ago that it was said, and it was predicted that these attacks would increase in intensity pretty soon IIRC.

People have already died, sadly, but simply pointing a finger and saying "he did it" isn't enough to convince me that the culprits are Islamic radicals when the evidence doesn't stand up, or has contradicting implications. I don't believe our nuclear-capable warships need to set sail for the Persian Gulf at the beginning of October or that we need to dump our water and toothpaste at the airport in order to be safe. I also don't believe Israel's government, military and intelligence as a collective wears a halo and keeps everything above the board. There's been so much irresponsible journalism, how do you expect me to believe everything read therein at face value? What, Israel has nothing to gain by the existence of a climate wherin evil Muslims harass innocent Jews?

Why does the consideration have to be narrowed to "serious" or "not serious," with no question as to the accuracy of the definition of "they" and "them?" What's more important -- that the "bad guys" be from the other team, or that they're caught? If your mom said the neighbors took the cash from your wallet, it doesn't mean you should ignore the fact that she in fact took it to support her heroine habit and immediately run over to beat on your neighbors with a baseball bat. I mean I know the 4-foot tall weeds in your front yard pisses them off, but they didn't actually steal the money.

I can be hopeful that the inevitably continued "activity" will be comprised solely of staged stunts and bogus reports; alas, it's probably a foolish hope. This report doesn't make me any more scared or paranoid of Muslims. It does make me relieved that another shock-you-back-in-place attempt was nonfatal.

Bearing down on the wrong enemy isn't the best of moves. We ought to pay more attention to just whose tails we should be chasing. In the meantime, if an extra deadbolt and a gas mask help you sleep at night, more power to ya.

ECI, I completely agree.
This Islamofascism has gone too far, their mantra of "convert or die" is starting to scare me. I've made up my mind. Islam is evil, so basically we need to tell all Muslims they need to change their religion or we'll kill them. :grin:

I seem to recall a bunch of our Swedish posters saying that this kind of thing can't happen up there, they're not a target. Hmm?[/B]

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1. You seem to remember things you've imagined. We've never said we're not a target for terrorists. The RAF did some crap in the 70's that's sort of hard to forget. Also, the Iranians have managed to pull some terror stuff since then despite our mind bogglingly incompetent security police. There's terror a plenty here, and there's always been. The earliest terror bombing I in Sweden I know of took place almost a century ago. We have a longer history of terrorism than you. I know that it might be hard for you to imagine us being used to this... you being a hysteric and all. The US is what counts after all, and no one can top you in scareditude.

2. This wasn't even directed at the norwegians. Salman Rushdie's publisher was killed in Norway about a decade ago but I doubt any norwegians went completely insane with fear, Smeg style, over that one. It wasn't a threat to their society then and it isn't now. When things like that succeed it's embarrassing as all hell, but it won't wreck the local society.

Smeg said:

Yes Talga, I predicted that as well. These libs are going to one day have to accept that I've been right all along. Either that or they're going to die.

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Yes, you predicted that as well. You are truly the scaredest of the OTF. Teh wisdom of your postings! I hereby appoint you the OTF Professor of hysteria and fear. Congratulations. You've worked hard for this and it's finally paid off.

Norway - 140 of 150 troops (engineers and mine clearers) withdrawn on June 30, 2004 citing growing domestic opposition and the need for the troops elsewhere; the ten remaining liasion officers had been withdrawn by August 2006. The Bondevik II administration insists the troops were never part of the invasion force, citing a UN humanitarian mandate. This does not seem to have come to the attention of the international community, as Al-Qaeda has included Norway in videotaped threats on at least two occasions, and US organizations have included Norway on their lists of participating nations. The actual status of Norwegian engineering and administrative personnel past and present are still a matter of domestic controversy, in part because troops serving in a war zone are entitled to better pay. It is popular belief that Norway was bullied by America into joining the Coalition.

~edit~ I seem to remember someone saying there would be increased attacks against Jews in Europe. Who was that? It wasn't long ago that it was said, and it was predicted that these attacks would increase in intensity pretty soon IIRC.

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Yeah, Smeg's a real Cassandra.

dirkdig said:

tacit approval of your government's actions

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Well actually Americans live in a democracy and moreover Bush was re-elected (just), so it's not just tacit.

you're assuming he has the ability to vote. If he's under 18, then he has no say in government and therefore it's not expressed

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Or if they vote for the other guy or not at all...

But unfortunately that's not how democracy works, whoever is in charge is acting on the mandate of the country as a whole. I mean, you can't say "I'm not paying this extra tax because I voted for a candidate who was against it" or something, it's the same thing.